Apple ][ Forever! Mystery Cache
GeoDesertTiger: I'm archiving it to keep it from continually showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements. See my September log entry.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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A blast from the past.
A very special puzzle cache. The coordinates listed are NOT the actual location of the cache. They will leave you about a block away from the actual cache location. Finding the cache requires access to an Apple ][ home computer system (one of the originals sold in the late 70's or early 80s) and a knowledge of 6502 Assembly language.
NOTE: If you are an embedded systems designer with sufficient knowledge and experience with other 8-bit assembly languages, you may download data sheets for the 6502 and cross-reference the machine code by hand- in this case, no Apple ][ is necessary.
Anyway, let's get down to business. Turn on your Apple and find your way to the Applesoft "]" prompt. Enter the following commands:
CALL -151
300:A0 00 B9 11 03 F0 09 20 ED FD C8 E8 C8 4C 02 03
310:60 B3 B8 B2 B3 B0 CA CE D3 D7 B2 B6 B5 B9 B9 B4
320:AE C0 B6 B9 B0 B9 B2 B1 B6 B4 B2 B3 AC AE B9 B1
330:B1 B9 B1 B5 B4 B2 B2 D1 D7 C5 D3 B0 B1 B4 B0 B0
340:B8 AE AE B5 B1 B3 B4 B7 B6 B5 B3 B0 B9 AC B2 B3
350:C2 D3 C4 C1 D7 C5 C3 C2 D6 CB CC CC A0 B4 CE D0
360:C1 D2 C1 D5 D9 D4 C3 C6 C9 AC B9 CF 00 00 00 00
300G
Gibberish, no? There is a minor bug in this program. Can you spot it? I will give you a hint: We have no need to use the "X" register for anything. One of the machine instructions needs to be replaced with the identical instruction that acts on the "Y" register instead.. so come on, all you Apple hax0rz out there, figure it out.
Cache container: contains a logsheet and a pencil, and has room for a few more items. For those of you who have experience with these things, you will note that a special tool is often needed to open it. I have modified it to make it easy to open. Just lift the top straight up off the base, no twisting or bending needed. And, once again, apologies to anybody who came by today (3/26/09) and DNF. It took me a little longer than expected to secure this very unique cache container.
Congratulations to Team AZFastFeet for the FTF!
UPDATE 4/18/09: Raised difficulty from 4.5 back up to 5 stars due to such few attempts on this cache. Also added a couple of hints to help with the physical hunt on-site. With a ration of common sense and a properly-solved puzzle, you will not need to look at the encrypted hints.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ab uvagf jvyy or tvira sbe gur chmmyr vgfrys. Gur chmmyr nppbhagf sbe 99% bs jung jneenagf guvf pnpur n 5-fgne qvssvphygl. Lbh jvyy rvgure xabj jung gb qb, be lbh jbag.
Pnpur vf abg vafvqr bs nal bpphcvrq fgehpgher, abg va nal furq, hgvyvgl ohvyqvat, rgp., naq abg vafvqr bs n iruvpyr. Gurer vf ab ernfba gb xabpx ba nal qbbef be gerfcnff ba arvtuobe zhttyrf' cevingr cebcregl. Gur zrffntr va gur chmmyr jvyy gryy lbh rknpgyl jurer gb ybbx. Gur Pbbeqf znl or bss ol 5-10 srrg, ohg gung fubhyqa'g znggre.
Pnpur vf va n fnsr, jryy-yvg nern (qnl naq avtug), npprffvoyr sebz gur nyyrl, naq lbh jvyy or bhg bs fvtug bs nalobql (rkprcg sbe znlor gur pnpur bjare) juvyr qbvat ohfvarff ng gur pnpur.
Qrfcvgr gurfr uvagf, gur yvxryvubbq bs svaqvat gur pnpur jvgubhg fbyivat gur chmmyr vf fgvyy arkg gb avy, fb tbbq yhpx!